How to fertilize bougainvillea?
Answering netizens' questions on how to fertilize bougainvillea, the following article provides knowledge about gardening. Next, the editor of the website will introduce the topic to the netizens.
Bougainvillea gives the impression of being very drought-resistant. Many flower friends grow bougainvillea in pots using old soil from other flowers, and the bougainvillea still grows well. It is evident that bougainvillea is a well-behaved plant, not picky about food, and even eats very little.
However, if you want bougainvillea to bloom more and have vibrant colors, you still need to pay attention to top-dressing during maintenance. If there is a serious lack of fertilizer and water, the bougainvillea will also find it difficult to bloom well. But if the bougainvillea has excessive fertilizer and water, it may grow too much without flowering. So, what should we do?
Bougainvillea Fertilizing Methods
Bougainvillea fertilizing should be done in stages, applying different fertilizers in different growth stages to make the bougainvillea grow with a full shape, abundant flowers, and bright colors.
1. Before Germination/Growth Stage
In the germination stage and early growth stage, the focus should be on promoting the growth of new branches. At this time, it is necessary to keep the fertilizer and water sufficient to make the bougainvillea produce more new branches, which will also result in more flowers in the future.
In the early growth stage, a balanced growth fertilizer should be the main choice, and soybean cake fertilizer can also be applied every 7-10 days. It is also necessary to pinch the tips of the new branches to maintain sufficient fertilizer and water, and early pinching can make the bougainvillea grow more fully.
However, it is also important to avoid applying pure nitrogen fertilizer in the early growth stage to prevent the branches from growing too fast and becoming uncontrollable.
2. Summer Rapid Growth Stage
In summer, bougainvillea enters the rapid growth stage. At this time, the branches are usually quite long and need to be controlled with fertilizer and water to prevent the branches from growing too long. Overgrown branches should be pruned and shortened.
For fertilizing, nitrogen fertilizer should be stopped, and phosphorus-potassium fertilizer can be applied every half month. Watering should also be controlled appropriately to make the bougainvillea slightly dry, which can inhibit the plant from overgrowing and also promote the differentiation of flower buds.
3. In Autumn
After September, as autumn approaches, bougainvillea begins to bloom. At this time, more phosphorus-potassium fertilizer should be applied to promote the growth of flower buds. Sufficient phosphorus-potassium fertilizer can also increase the number of bougainvillea flower buds and make the flowers more colorful.
After the first bloom in autumn, the spent flowers should be pruned promptly, and phosphorus-potassium fertilizer should continue to be applied. Soon, the bougainvillea will bloom again. For lazy-flowering bougainvillea varieties, branches should be cut back after flowering, then two applications of nitrogen fertilizer should be applied. When the new branches are 5-6 cm long, switch to phosphorus-potassium fertilizer to promote the growth of flower buds and bloom again.
Overall, bougainvillea fertilizing mainly focuses on the early growth stage and the flower bud stage. In the early stage, a general growth fertilizer should be used, and during the flowering stage, phosphorus-potassium fertilizer should be the main choice, with moderate water control in between.
For more practical experience and tips on bougainvillea cultivation, follow the public account: Garden (ilanyao).
The above content about how to fertilize bougainvillea can be referenced by green plant enthusiasts.